Method and means of completing a well



June 12, 1956 Filed Oct. 51 1951 o g In FIG. I.

2 Sheets-Sheet l INV NTO Theodore A. Hubev;

June 12, 1

Filed Oct. 3

43 FIG. 2. i

T. A. HUBER METHOD AND MEANS OF COMPLETING A WELL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Theodore A. Huber,

United States Patent METHOD AND MEANS OF COMPLETING A WELL Theodore A. Huber, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Esso Research and Engineering Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application ()ctober 31, 1951, Serial No. 254,116

22 Claims. (Cl. 16621) This invention relates to a method and a means for completing and/or recompleting a. well.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and means for altering the position of the lower end of the tubing, with respect to the walls of the borehole, without altering the setting of the tubing itself. A further object is to provide a method and means whereby the depth of tubing in a well may be effectively increased at will and later returned to its original length when desired by the operator.

The method of my invention may be briefly described as a method of increasing the effective depth of tubing in a well originally tubed so that the lower end of the tubing is above the bottom of the well. This increase in effective depth is accomplished by lowering by means of a wire line a tubular member open at the top and the bottom thereof through the tubing until the lower end of the tubular member projects below the lower end of the tubing, the upper end of the tubular member being positioned within the tubing. A sealing means is provided on the outside of the tubular member so that when the tubular member has been lowered to the desired depth the annular space between the tubular member and the tubing may be sealed to the passage of the fluid therethrough. The tubular member may be raised and lowered as desired and may be withdrawn from the tubing when desired. This method of increasing the effective length of the tubing permits a number of operations to be conducted more efficiently as will become apparent from the more detailed description given hereinafter.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1a to g illustrate successive stages in the completion of a well equipped with tubing to a depth just above the uppermost formation from which it is expected to produce during the life of the well;

Fig. 2 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the device of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view of the device of Fig. 2 in a different stage of its use from that shown in Fig.

Referring to Fig. l, the numeral designates casing which extends from the surface of the earth to the bottom 11 of borehole 12. Tubing 13 is shown as concentrically arranged within casing 10,'the lower end 14 of tubing 13 being positioned above formation 15. Formation 15 is the uppermost of formations 15, 16, and 17 from which fluids will be produced during the life of the well. The lower end 14 of tubing 13 is positioned in this way so that tubing 13 need not be disturbed at any time during the life of the well irrespective of the formation produced. It will be noted that in Fig. la casing 10 and formation 17 are pierced by a plurality of perforations 18. The formation fluidcontained by formation 17 flows through perforations 18 into borehole 12 and to the surface of the earth through tubing 13 as indicated by the arrows.

When it is desired to discontinue production from formation 17 and thereafter to produce from a formation located above formation 17, a tubing extension'19 is lowered down through tubing 13 by means of a wire line 20. The outside diameter of tubing extension 19 is less than the inside diameter of tubing 13 and, accordingly, tubing extension 19 is freely movable through tubing 13. A sealing means is provided adjacent the upper end of tubing extension 19 so as to close OK the annular space between tubing 13 and tubing extension 19. Packers 21 and 21 are provided for this purpose. As shown in Fig. lb the lower end 22 of tubing extension 19 is positioned near the bottom 11 of borehole 12. Fluid is then circulated downwardly in the well between casing 10 and tubing 13 so that accumulated debris is washed from the bottom of the well upwardly through tubing extension 19 and then through tubing 13 to the surface of the earth.

On completion of the washing operation illustrated in Fig. lb, tubing extension 19 is raised up within tubing 13 by means of wire line 20 so that the lower end 22 of tubing extension 19 is just above the upper edge of formation 17 as shown in Fig. 1c. Cement is then pumped down through tubing 13 and through tubing extension 19 until sufficient cement has been introduced into borehole 12 to fill the borehole to a point just above formation 17. A fluid is then introduced into the annulus between casing 10 and tubing 13 and the pressure on cement plug 23 is increased so that cement is forced into perforations 18 as shown in Fig. 1d. The technique involved in cement squeezing is well-known and the details of such operation will not be discussed here. Following the squeeze operation, excess cement is washed from borehole 12 as illustrated in Fig. 1e by circulating fluid downwardly within the annulus formed by casing 10 and tubing 13 and upwardly inside tubing extension 19 and tubing 13 as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 1 shows borehole 12 with the tubing extension 19 removed therefrom by means of a wire line 2i) and with a gun perforator 24 run through tubing 13 on a wire line 20 for perforating formation 16. After formation 16 has been perforated, perforating gun 24 is withdrawn from the borehole by means of wire line 20 and the well allowed to produce through tubing 13 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. lg.

The method of my invention, while it has been illustrated in connection with cementing and backwashing, is not limited to cementing or backwashing but can be employed in any operation wherein it is necessary or desirable to increase the effective depth of tubing without altering the settingof the tubing.

In carrying out the method of my invention, I have found the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 to be particularly effective. Referring to Fig' 2, the numeral 40 designates a borehole lined with casing 41 down to the bottom 42 thereof. Borehole 40 has also been equipped with tubing 43, the lower end 44 of which is positioned above the uppermost formation from which it is expected to produce during the lifetime of the well. At least one and preferably a series of ports 45 extend through the walls of tubing 43" adjacent the lower end 44 thereof. A suitable packer 46 held in-place by suitable means, such as slips 47, is positioned below ports 45. and effectively closes the annulus between casing 41 and tubing 43. Packers, such as packer 46, are wellknown and Will not be described'here in detail. Tubing extension 48 having an open upper end 49 and an open lower end 50 carries on its outer surface adjacent its upper end 49a suitable sealing means, such as packer 51, and carries below packer 51' another suitable sealing means, such. as packer 52. Packers 51 and 52'are spaced apart so that ports 45 can be bridged thereby.

Packers 51. and 52 seal off the annular space between tubular extension 48 and tubing 43 when tubular extensionv 48' is so positioned that located within. tubing 43'.

both these packers are When it is desired to prevent fluids from flowing between the annular space formed by casing 41 and tubing 43 and the interior of tubing 43, tubular extension 48 is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 2 so that packer 51 is above ports 45 and packer 52 is positioned within tubing 43 below ports 45. When it is desired to permit fluids to flow from the annular space formed by casing 41 and tubing 43 and out the lower end of tubing 43 or to flow upwardly through tubing 43 and through ports 45 into the annular space between casing 41 and tubing 43, tubing extension 48 is lowered until lower packer 52 clears the lower end 44 of tubing 43 as shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the flow of fluid from the annular space between casing 41 and tubing 43 through ports 45 may be controlled by either raising or lowering tubular extension 48 by means of wire line 53.

The invention has been described and illustrated in the drawing by reference to a cased well wherein the casing extends from top to bottom of the well. It is to be understood that the invention is applicable also to cased wells where the casing does not extend completely to the bottom of the well but extends a greater portion of the depth of the well with open hole below the casing. Such cased wells with casing extending only a part of the distance traversed by the well with open hole below the casing are conventional to the art such as illustrated by the patent to Canon, U. S. 2,316,402.

While the device employed in the present invention may be secured with the upper end of the tubular member in the tubing by means of a line such as a wire line and the like, other securing means, well known to the art, such as landing nipples, latching dogs, collars, pipe engaging means, and the like, may also be used. Such means are conventional and may be illustrated by reference to the Composite Catalog of Oil Field and Pipeline Equipment, 19th edition, 1952-53, pages 944, 4049, and 4064 where examples of equipment of the nature referred to are described.

What I wish to claim as new and novel and to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of introducing cement into a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing with respect to the well head, said well having been previously completed so that the lower end of the tubing was positioned above the bottom of the well which comprises lowering a tubular member open at both ends through said tubing until the lower end of said tubular member is positioned below the lower end of the tubing while the upper end of said tubular member is positioned within said tubing; securing the upper end of said tubular member in said tubing and sealing the annular space between the tubular member and the tubing so that fluid is unable to flow past said tubular member through said annular space; introducing cement slurry through said tubing and said tubular member until the desired quantity of said slurry has been introduced into the well; washing out excess cement slurry by circulating fluid downwardly through the annular space between the tubing and the casing and upwardly through said tubular member and said tubing; and withdrawing said tubular member from said tubing.

2. A method of recompleting a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing with respect to the well head, said well having been previously completed so that the lower end of the tubing was positioned above the bottom of the well which comprises lowering a tubular member open at both ends through said tubing until the lower end of said tubular member is positioned below the lower end of the tubing while the upper end of said tubular member is positioned within said tubing; securing the upper end of said tubular member in said tubing and sealing the annular space between the tubular member and the tubing so that fluid is unable to flow past said tubular member through said annular space;

introducing fluid into said well and circulating said fluid through said well for washing said well, discontinuing the introduction of said fluid when said well has been washed and introducing cement through said tubing and said tubular member until the desired quantity of cement has been introduced into the well, washing out excess cement by circulating fluid downwardly through the annular space between the tubing and the casing and upwardly through said tubular member and said tubing, withdrawing said tubular member from said tubing, and perforating the casing at a point beneath said tubing to bring said well into production.

3. A method of introducing cement into a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing with respect to the well head, said well having been previously completed so that the lower end of the tubing was positioned above the bottom of the well in communication with the formation wall which comprises lowering a tubular member open at both ends through said tubing until the lower end of said tubular member is positioned below the lower end of the tubing while the upper end of said tubular member is positioned within said tubing; securing the upper end of said tubular member in said tubing and sealing the annular space between the tubular member and the tubing so that fluid is unable to flow past said tubular member through said annular space; introducing cement slurry through said tubing and said tubular memher until the desired quantity of said slurry has been introduced into the well; applying fluid pressure to said cement to squeeze said cement into the surrounding formation, washing out excess cement slurry by circulating fluid downwardly through the annular space between the tubing and the casing and upwardly through said tubular member and said tubing; and withdrawing said tubular member from said tubing.

4. Apparatus comprising tubing open at the lower end suspended within a well lined with casing, said tubing being provided with at least one port adjacent its lower end, sealing means closing the annular space between said casing and said tubing below said port; a tubular member open at both ends movable within said tubing; spaced first and second sealing means mounted on said tubular member for sealing the annular space between said tubular member and said tubing, said first and second sealing means being so spaced as to be capable of forming an annular chamber between said tubing and said tubular member with the first sealing means positioned above said port and the second sealing means positioned below said port when said tubular member is lowered to a point adjacent the port, said tubular member being capable of being lowered a suflicient distance to place the second sealing means below the tubing, with said first sealing means remaining positioned above said port to allow fiuid communication between said port and the annular space between the tubing and the casing.

5. Apparatus comprising tubing open at the lower end suspended within a cased well, said tubing being provided with at least one port adjacent its lower end, a packer closing the annulus between said casing and said tubing and positioned below said port; a tubular member open at both ends movable within said tubing; spaced first and second packers mounted on said tubular member for sealing the annular space between said tubular member and said tubing, said first and second packers being so spaced as to be capable of forming an annular chamber between said tubing and said tubular member with the first packer positioned above said port and the second packer positioned below said port when said tubular member is lowered to a point adjacent the port, said tubular member being capable of being lowered a suflicient distance to place the second packer below the tubing, with said first packer remaining positioned above the port to allow fluid commuthe tubing and the casing.

6. Apparatus for use in connection with tubing open at the lower end suspended in a well lined. with casing comprising a tubular section having at least one port extending through the wall thereof, said tubular section being connected to said tubing to form a continuous tubing string; a packer mounted on said section below said port for closing the annulus between said casing and said tubing string below said port; a tubular member open at both ends movable within said tubing string by means of a line, spaced first and second packers mounted on said tubular member for sealing the annular space between'said tubular member and said tubing string, said first and second packers being so spaced as to be capable of forming an annular chamber between said tubing and said tubular member with the first packer positioned above said port and the second packer positioned below said port when said tubular member is lowered to a point adjacent the port, said tubular member being capable of being lowered by said line a suflicient distance to place the second packer below the tubing, with said first packer remaining positioned above the port to allow fluid communication between said port and the annular space between the tubing and the casing.

7. A method of washing a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing with respect to the well head, said well having been previously completed with the lower end of the tubing positioned above the bottom of the well, which method comprises lowering a tubular member open at both its ends through said tubing until the lower end of said tubular member is positioned below the lower end of the tubing while the upper end of said tubular member is positioned within said tubing to form a path of flow including said tubing and said tubular member extending from the lower end of the tubing to a lower level in the well to be washed; securing the upper end of said tubular member in said tubing and sealing the annular space between the tubular member and the tubing so that fluid is unable to flow past said tubular member through said annular space, washing the well below the open end of the tubing by introducing a washing fluid into said well through said tubing and tubular member, and circulating said washing fluid along said path of flow through said well to remove debris and the like from said well, said debris and said washing fluid being flowed upwardly in said well through the annular space between the tubing and the casing.

8. Apparatus for introducing fluid into a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises tubular means lowerable through the tubing for establishing a path of fiow through said tubing from the lower open end of the tubing to a particular level in said well below the lower open end of the tubing with the upper end of the tubular means positioned within the lower end of the tubing; means carried by said tubular member for sealing between the tubular means and the tubing, and means attached to said tubular member for varying the effective length of said tubular member below the lower open end of the tubing while maintaining said seal between the tubular means and the tubing path of flow.

9. Apparatus for use in connection with tubing open at the lower end suspended in a well lined with casing comprising a tubular section having one port extending through the wall thereof, said tubular section being connected to said tubing to form a continuous tubing string, a packer mounted on said section below said port for closing the annulus between said casing and said tubing below said port, a tubular member open at both ends movable within said tubing string, and sealing means mounted on said tubular member for sealing the annular space between said tubular member and said tubing string, said tubular member being capable of being lowered a sufficient distance out of the tubing string to provide fluid communication between said port and the casing below the packer, said sealing means maintaining a seal in the annular space between the tubular member and said tubing string above said port.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 in which the sealing means comprises spaced apart packers mounted on said tubular member above and below said port, the lower of said packers being lowerable out of said tubing string with said tubular member.

11. A method for washing a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower open end of the tubing to form a path of flow including said tubing and said tubular member extending between the lower end of the tubing and a particular level in said well a substantial distance below the lower end of the tubing, flowing a washing fluid down said well through the annular space between the tubing and the casing, washing said well with said fluid to remove debris from the bottom of the well, and removing said washing fluid and debris from the bottom of the well along said path of flow.

12. A method for treating a formation penetrated by a cased and tubed well open to the formation without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower open end of the tubing to establish a path of flow including said tubing and said tubular member extending from the lower end of the tubing a sufficient distance to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing, and then treating said formation at the particular level by introducing a treating agent to said level along said path of flow.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, in which the treating agent is a washing liquid.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12 in which the treating agent is fluid cement.

15. A method for introducing a fluid into a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower open end of the tubing to establish a path of flow of variable length including said tubing and said tubular member and extending from the lower end of the tubing suflicient to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing, introducing fluid into said well by flowing said fluid to said particular level along said path of flow, flowing at least a portion of said fluid from said well through the annulus between the casing and tubing, varying the length of said path of flow while maintaining the setting of the tubing, and then introducing fluid into said well at a diflerent level along said path of flow of varied length.

16. A method for introducing a fluid into a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower end of the tubing to establish a path of flow of variable length including said tubing and said tubular member and extending from the lower end of the tubing sufiicient to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing, introducing fluid into said well by flowing said fluid to said particular level through the annulus between the casing and tubing, flowing at least a portion of said fluid from said well along said path of flow, varying the length of said path of flow while maintaining the setting of the tubing, and then flowing fluid from said well at a different level along said path of flow of varied length.

17. A method for cementing a cased and tubed well without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower open end of the tubing to establish a path of flow of variable length including said tubing and said tubular member extending from the lower end of the tubing suflicient to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing to be cemented, introducing fluid cement into said well by flowing said fluid cement to said particular level along said path of flow to deposit fluid cement in said well, and then removing excess fluid cement from said well along said path of flow of variable length.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17 in which the path of flow is varied in length prior to removing excess fluid cement.

19. A method for treating a cased and tubed well open to the formation without altering the setting of the tubing in which the lower open end of the tubing is arranged substantially above the bottom of the well above the uppermost of a plurality of formations which comprises removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower end of the tubing to establish a path of flow including said tubing and said tubular member of variable length and extending from the lower end of the tubing a sufficient distance to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing adjacent one of said formations, treating said well at said particular level by introducing a treating agent to said level along said path of flow, then varying the length of said path of flow while maintaining the setting of the tubing, and then introducing fluid into said well at a different level along said path of flow of varied length.

20. A method for completing a well penetrating a subsurface earth formation having a casing arranged therein open to the formation which comprises permanently setting a tubing in the well casing with its lower open end arranged substantially above the bottom of the well, removably securing and sealing a tubular member open on its lower end to the lower end of the tubing to establish a path of flow including said tubing and said tubular member extending from the lower end of the tubing a sufiicient distance to reach a particular level in said well below said tubing, and introducing fluid into said well through said tubing to flow through said path of flow and discharge at said particular level.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20 in which the fluid is a washing liquid.

22. A method in accordance with claim 20 in which the fluid is cement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,400,765 Pallette Dec. 20, 1921 2,016,919 Church Oct. 8, 1935 2,064,336 Bates Dec. 15, 1936 2,087,297 Pew July 20, 1937 2,156,207 Terrill Apr. 25, 1939 2,316,402 Canon Apr. 13, 1943 2,347,746 McWilliams May 2, 1944 2,376,878 Lehnhard May 29, 1945 2,381,875 Bryant Aug. 14, 1945 2,416,842 OLeary Mar. 4, 1947 2,436,525 ODonnell Feb. 24, 1948 2,543,814 Thompson et a1 Mar. 6, 1951 

1. A METHOD OF INTRODUCING CEMENT INTO A CASED AND TUBED WELL WITHOUT ALTERING THE SETTING OF THE TUBING WITH RESPECT TO THE WELL HEAD, SAID WELL HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED SO THAT THE LOWER END OF THE TUBING WAS POSITIONED ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL WHICH COMPRISES LOWERING A TUBULAR MEMBER OPEN AT BOTH ENDS THROUGH SAID TUBING UNTIL THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IS POSITIONED BELOW THE LOWER END OF THE TUBING WHILE THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TUBING; SECURING THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IN SAID TUBING AND SEALING THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND THE TUBING SO THAT FLUID IS UNABLE TO FLOW PAST SAID TUBULAR MEMBER THROUGH SAID ANNULAR SPACE; INTRODUCING CEMENT SLURRY THROUGH SAID TUBING AND SAID TUBULAR MEMBER UNTIL THE DESIRED QUANTITY OF SAID SLURRY HAS BEEN INTRODUCED INTO THE WELL; WASHING OUT EXCESS CEMENT SLURRY BY CIRCULATING FLUID DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN THE TUBING AND THE CASING AND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND SAID TUBING; AND WITHDRAWING SAID TUBULAR MEMBER FROM SAID TUBING. 